US2249306A - Centrifugal hydroextractor - Google Patents

Description

.July 15,1941.

CEN'IRIFUGAL HYDROEXTRACTOR Filed Jan. 10. 1938 'A. IBAILLY 2,249,306

Patented July 15, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcsfl Application January 10, 1938, Serial No. 184,304 r In Belgium February 4, 1937 r 2 Claims. (Cl. 210-69) invention relates to a hydro-extractor comprising substantially a basket of widening out shape associated with a filtering or pervious wall and mounted upon a rotatable shaft, and a rotary drum constituted by a mesh-like carcass and mounted on a separate shaft coaxially with the said basket and within the letter, said drum being provided externally with projections extending up to a point adjacent to the filtering wall upon which the material to be squeezed is caused to travel under the effect of the centrifugal force, which projections oppose the displacement of the material so as to retain the latter in-the hydro-extractor as long as may be desired. Accordingto the invention, use is made preferably of annular projections of reduced thickness, disposed at intervals upon the outer surface of the drum, said projections being provided with gaps arranged in angularly shifted relationship to one another, so that the material to be squeezed, which is charged into the hydro-extractor at the narrowest end of the basket, should be able to pass beyond the various projections in succession while travelling along the inner face of the filtering wall under the effect of the centrifugal force. According further to the invention, the outer edges of all the annular projections lie upon circumferences which are parallel to each other, so that the said projections, when revolving, sweep away over constant annular zones of the filtering wall, and therefore, the said zones may be replaced by impervious or full strips.

When the shafts of the basket and of the drum are driven in the same direction but at different speeds, continued working of the hydro-extractor will be obtained, the material to be treated being admitted in an uninterrupted manner to the .narrowest .end of the basket, and the squeezed material being discharged in a continued manner at, the other end of the apparatus. To enable the hydro-extractor to work in a non-continued way, all that .need be done is alternately to drive the basket and the drum at the same speed and at'different speeds.

Simply, by way of example, certain embodiments' of the hydro-extractor according to the invention will'be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a view, .partly in longitudinalsection, of a hydro-extractor including a frusto conical basket and drum, and

Fig. 2 is a plan View, .partly in section, of the said hydro-extractor.

In1the housing I of the hydro-extractor there is arranged alba'sket zassoci'ated with -a=filtering or pervious wall '3 and mounted upon a shaft '4 by means of a flange 5. "On a hollow shaft '6 surrounding the shaft 4 there is mounted a mesh-like drum 1 the outer surface of which carriesparallel annular or ring members '8, 9, H1 having each formed therein one'o'r moregaps or notches H, l2, I3. An annular apron member I4 -is projecting from the "inner face of the drum 1 in alignment with the ring :member 8.

"Themateria'l to be squeezed is supplied through the tube l5 discharging into the space limited by the apron member IA. The material passes throughthe holes in drum 1 into the portion of smallest diameter of the basket '2. Under the effect of the centrifugal force, part of the liquid squeezed out of the material passes through the Wall 3, while the remainder of material and contained liquid tends to travel along the inclined wall 3,"but is arrested in its travel by the ring member '8, except at the point where the gap H is provided. basket 2- are "rotated in the same direction but at different speeds, the gap II will appear in succession in all of the points of the annular zone of the basket facing the ring member 8, so that the material to be squeezed is allowed to pass through said gap -in a continuous manner. The material will pass in the same manner successively through the" gaps l2 and I3. until finally discharged through the conduct l6, while the liquid is collected "through :the conduct l I.

In order that the material may be retained the required time in the chambers limited by the ring memberst, 9, I0,the gaps ll, 12, I3 are angularly staggered with respect to each other. A plurality of such gaps may be provided in each ring member. The basket 2 may have any widening out shape' It may be formed of a single conic frustum having a straight generatrix, as in the example. illustrated, or it may consist of a plurality'of conic frustrums assembled end to end and having differently inclined generatrices, the reason for such arrangement residing in the 'Variationof the physical condition of the material treated, which is very moist when entering the basket and becomes more and more dry in proportion as it travels towards the discharge end. As a substitute for the'plurality of conic frustrums,.a surface of revolution generated by a cnrvedigeneratrix may be used.

The design of the drum may comprise various embodiments similar to those disclosed with referenceto the basket.

I The ring'amembers 8, 9, l ll may be made in Inasmuch as the drum 1 and the be subjectedto squeezing for any desired lapse of time, the admission of the material into the basket through the tube l being out off for the same period.

When the said period of time is over, the toothed wheel driving the drum is again thrown in, and the drum again takes up its relative movement with respect to the basket and enables the material treated to travel towards the discharge end of the hydro-extractor, while material to betreated is charged afresh through the tube l5.

made in helical form with a small pitch angle," 7 so that the said projections C19 1I 1( )t pu.Sh;th-

material but experience a push from thematerial which tends to travel along the filtering wall.

The inclination of the the number of ring members, as well as the speed of rotation of the basket and of the drum maybe varied in accordance with the type, of material to be treated.

The clearance between the-outer-edge of the rings and the inner surface of the basket maybe adjusted, as mainly for the purpose of taking up the wear upon the said edge, by varying the relative position of the drum and the. basket in the axial direction, such as. by means of any convenient adjustable thrust arrangement, whereby the relative position of the shafts 4 and 6 may be predetermined. f

The aforesaidshafts may be driven at different speeds by any convenient means, such as gear wheels l8, IQand pinions 20, 2f, the gear wheel I8 being keyed onto shaft 6, and gear wheel I9, onto shaft 4. The gear wheels l8 and I9 have slightly different tooth numbers. These gear wheels are interconnected through pinions and 2| rigidly mounted on shaft 22 which is driven, for instance, from an electric motor (not shown) adapted to operate the hydro-extractor. Alternately the shafts 4, 6 may be driven by'other gearing, or by belts or chains.

In treating certain particular types of material it may be desirable to apply a non-continued squeezing action. To this effect all that need be done is to provide means whereby the relative rotary motion between the basket and the drum, it is to say between the shafts 4 and 6, may be shut out, and for this it is only necessary to release one of those parts, for instance the shaft 6, from its driving means.

Thus, in the embodiment exemplifiedin the drawing it is only necessary-instead of rigidly securing the toothed wheel 3 and the pinion 20 onto their respective shafts 6, 22to connect either the toothed wheel 18 or the pinion 20 to the corresponding shaft, through the medium of a clutch 26. Owing to the provision of the clutch, the drum may be released from its drive mechanism when in full operation. After the clutch is thrown out the drum will be driven forth'(by reason of the fact that the material to be squeezed contacts the basket 2, 3, the drum 1 and the annular projections 8, 9, H] of the .latter) together with the basket and at the same speed as the said basket. I

If desired, a speed gear shift mechanism may be provided whereby avelocity different from or equal to that of the basket maybe imparted to thedrum. 1 Due to the relative movement; betwee'n the drum and the basket being shutout, the material. ceases its travel inside the basket and may thus members on the drumQthe Y number and dimensions of the gaps in the ringgeneratrix of the a basket 1 with respect to the axis of rotation of the latter,

actuation of the accomplished under the control of a conveniently The clutch operating means may be so arranged asgto effect the opening and the closure of the tube [5 simultaneously with the corresponding clutch. The operation may be adjusted automatically acting electrical device which may comprise, for instance, a clockwork adapted to periodically induce the said functions.

In the case that particles of the material treated stick now and then momentarily to the pervious wall of the basket, which may be effec-. tive in inducing unbalance and vibration, it is onlynecessary to have those particles detached, to thus enable them to continue their travel along the said pervious wall under the action of the centrifugal force. To this end it is simply necessary,to provide auxiliary vanes 23, 24, 25' extending between every two adjacent annular projections in a direction which is, for instance, substantially at right angles to the latter, the said vanes being preferably arranged inialignment with the trailing edges of the gaps, II, I2, l3 i. e. those edges which pass in the secondplace opposite a given point of the basket on account of the relative-movement of the drum andthe basket.

As shown in the drawing, annular impervious zones, 21, 28, and 29 are provided in the pervious wall facing the outer edges of'the annular projections 8, 9, and I0. Those impervious zones or full strips reinforce the basket and stop the liquid which would have a tendency to escape along the filtering wall and to mix with the dried product.

What I claim is:

l. A hydro-extractor including a revolving basket supporting a pervious wall of widening out shape, a rotary drum positioned within the basket, coaxially arranged drive shafts for the basket and for the drum, means for admitting the material to be squeezed into the portion of smallest diameter of the basket, means for operating said shafts, annular projections arranged in spaced relation upon the outer surface of the drum for opposing the travel of material along the pervious wall under the action of centrifugal force, said projections having their outer edges extending to the neighborhood of the pervious wall and describing parallel circumferences during the rotation of the projections, angularly staggered gaps in said projections, and annular impervious zones in the pervious wall facing'the outer edges of the annular projections.

2. A hydro-extractor including a revolving basket supporting a pervious wall of widening out shape, a rotary drum positioned within the basket, coaxially arranged drive shafts. for the basket and for the. drum, meansfor admitting the material to be squeezed into the portion of smallest diameter of the basket,.means for operating said shafts, annular projections arranged in spacedrelation upon the outer'surface'of the drumiforgopposing the travel of material along.

the pervious wall under the action of centrifugal force, said projections having their outer edges extending to the neighborhood of the pervious wall and describing parallel circumferences during the rotation of the projections, angularly staggered gaps in said projections, transverse vanes uniting every twoadjacent projections and placed adjacent that one edge of the gaps which last passes a definite point in the pervious wall consequent on the different velocities of revolution of the basket and the drum, and annular impervious zones in the pervious wall facing the outer edges of the annular projections.

ARMAND BAILLY.

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